Latest Developments in Turkey; Dismissal of Over 2,700 Judicial Officials

Following the coup attempt in Turkey, officials in the country dismissed 2,745 judges and prosecutors from their positions. According to the German news agency, citing Turkey's Anadolu Agency, 10 members of the country's Supreme Court have also been arrested in Ankara. Binali Yildirim, the Prime Minister of Turkey, announced on Saturday, July 16, that during the events of the coup attempt, 161 people were killed and about 1,500 others were injured. He stated that 2,839 people in the military have also been arrested in connection with the coup attempt, and these arrests are ongoing. Turkish media reported that the leader of the coup plotters has also been detained. In an interview with Habertürk channel, Binali Yildirim mentioned that the Turkish government is now considering reinstating the death penalty, which had previously been abolished. The Prime Minister stated, 'The nation gave the best response to the terrorists' and added that 'members of this parallel gang in the military are now in the hands of the honorable forces of the army.' He referred to the coup plotters as a 'gang' more dangerous than the PKK. Hope Dündar, the acting Chief of Staff of the Turkish Army, also stated in a televised message that most of the coup plotters were from the Air Force and Gendarmerie, with some from armored units of the army. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey, stated that the coup plotters will pay a heavy price. Meanwhile, Fethullah Gülen, a former political ally and current political rival of Erdoğan, denied any involvement in the coup attempt and strongly condemned it. Gülen is considered an opponent of Erdoğan and is an exiled cleric currently living in the United States. John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated on Saturday in Luxembourg that the U.S. may accept Turkey's request for Gülen's extradition if sufficient evidence of his wrongdoing is provided. However, Kerry noted that no extradition request for Gülen had been received. A group of Turkish military forces attempted to seize power on Friday night and announced early Saturday morning that they had taken control, but Erdoğan declared on Saturday morning that the coup had failed and the government was in control of the situation. CNN Türk reported on Saturday afternoon that the military operation against the coup plotters stationed at the army's central command headquarters had concluded. Meanwhile, Greek police reported that eight occupants of a Turkish military helicopter requested asylum after entering Greek airspace. Reports indicate that the Turkish Foreign Minister has requested the extradition of these eight individuals, and a senior Greek military official stated that the country intends to 'immediately return' these individuals to Turkey. Global reactions: Several world leaders condemned the coup attempt in Turkey. Barack Obama, the President of the United States, called for support for Erdoğan's government and urged all parties to show restraint and avoid violence and bloodshed. John Kerry also announced that the United States would assist the Turkish government in investigating the coup attempts. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, called on all parties in Turkey to support democracy and the democratically elected government. The Council of Europe condemned the coup attempts in Turkey. Donald Tusk, President of the Council of Europe, stated that tensions and disputes cannot be resolved with weapons. Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, announced that her country stands with all those defending democracy and the rule of law in Turkey. The Syrian National Coalition, an opposition group to Bashar al-Assad based in Turkey, congratulated the Turkish people on the 'halt' of the coup. The Russian Foreign Ministry urged Turkish officials and the people to resolve their issues without resorting to violence and to maintain order and law. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, condemned any 'attempts and use of force to disrupt democratic order in Turkey.' Iran's response: Bahram Qasemi, the spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, on Saturday, July 16, advised the Turkish people to avoid violence and announced that the Islamic Republic of Iran supports the elected government of Turkey. According to IRNA, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, has spoken on the phone with his Turkish counterpart three times since the unrest began in Turkey. In a Twitter message, Zarif expressed concern about the situation in Turkey, emphasizing the importance of stability, democracy, and security for the Turkish people. Mahmoud Alavi, Iran's Minister of Information, also stated that they are closely monitoring developments in Turkey and that the borders are under complete control. IRIB reported early Saturday that Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, stated that 'we are closely and with concern monitoring the events in Turkey and consider instability in this country as a disruption to the security and calm of the people.' According to IRIB, the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization urged travel agencies to refrain from registering and sending tourists to Turkey until further notice. Meanwhile, Mohammad Ibrahim Taherian, Iran's ambassador in Ankara, told IRNA that Iranian citizens in Turkey have not suffered any harm during the recent developments.